Kyle Palmieri Bio
Kyle Charles Palmieri (born February 1, 1991) is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward and serves as an alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 191 pounds, he shoots right and is recognized for his scoring touch and leadership in the room. Over the course of his career, Palmieri has suited up for the Anaheim Ducks, the New Jersey Devils, and the New York Islanders, establishing himself as a reliable middle-six winger with a knack for big goals.
Drafted 26th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Palmieri has built a steady professional career that began in 2010. Beyond his on-ice production, he is known for his charitable work supporting military families, an effort that grew from his own family’s deep ties to the United States Armed Forces.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Charles Palmieri was born on February 1, 1991, in Smithtown, New York, to parents Bruce and Tammy Palmieri. After marrying, his parents spent a few years in Smithtown, where Kyle and his three older siblings were born, before the family moved to Montvale, New Jersey, when Kyle was four years old. His father, Bruce, worked in home construction and spent several years living in Mattituck, on the North Fork of Long Island. Palmieri’s godfather is former shortstop Bud Harrelson, who is his father’s cousin, a family tie that helped shape his early love of sport.
Palmieri first stepped onto the ice at a friend’s house when he was five years old, and he soon began playing organized youth hockey with the Kodiak Hockey Club at McKay Ice Arena under coach Gary Hess. Growing up on Long Island and then New Jersey, he developed his offensive game through youth programs and minor hockey, eventually joining the New Jersey Devils-sponsored teams that skated out of Codey Arena in West Orange, New Jersey. His early progress on the ice laid the foundation for a career that would take him to the highest levels of the sport.
Path to Hockey
Palmieri’s path to professional hockey accelerated during his teenage years in New Jersey. He attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School for two years, and during his sophomore season he led the Gordon Conference with 58 points, earning a first-team All-State selection. He finished that career-best season by helping his team reach the New Jersey state final, where they lost to St. Augustine Preparatory School. His strong play earned him a chance to join the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan, an opportunity that elevated his profile among NHL scouts.
At the NTDP, Palmieri suited up for the Under-18 team and recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in 33 games, including a hat-trick in the gold medal round of the 2008 Five Nations Tournament. The Guelph Storm selected him in the sixth round of the 2008 Ontario Hockey League draft, but he never reported to the team. After his release from the NTDP for a rules violation, Palmieri spent one season with the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, scoring nine goals in 33 games while continuing to refine his game. That same year, the Anaheim Ducks selected him 26th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, launching his professional career.
Kyle Palmieri Career
Early Career (2009–2014)
Following the 2009–10 season, Palmieri signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks and took part in their Rookie Tournament. He was quickly reassigned to the Ducks’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, to begin the 2010–11 season. In his first month with the Crunch, he produced six points in three games, and by November he had tallied seven goals and nine points in nine games, earning his first NHL recall. Palmieri made his NHL debut on November 3, 2010, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring his first career goal in an overtime win.
The 2013–14 season marked Palmieri’s first full NHL campaign, during which he set career-highs in goals, assists, and points. He played on the Ducks’ top line alongside Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf and finished the regular season with 31 points through 71 games. He also appeared in nine playoff games that spring, scoring three goals as the Ducks advanced past the Dallas Stars before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round. After five seasons split between Anaheim and Syracuse, Palmieri was traded to the New Jersey Devils on June 26, 2015.
Anaheim Ducks Breakthrough (2010–2015)
Palmieri’s NHL breakthrough came in pieces during his Ducks years, beginning with that debut goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in November 2010. He split his early professional seasons between the Syracuse Crunch and Anaheim, leading the AHL in goals at one point and earning Rookie of the Month honors in March 2011. During the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Palmieri split time with the Norfolk Admirals before becoming the second-youngest Ducks player to record a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Nashville Predators on February 28, 2013. He finished that year with 21 points in 42 regular-season games and appeared in all seven Western Conference Quarterfinal games against the Detroit Red Wings.
His first full NHL season, 2013–14, was his most productive in Anaheim, and his consistent scoring earned him a three-year contract extension on July 26, 2013. He became a trusted contributor on the Ducks’ top line and a fixture in their postseason lineups, helping the franchise reach the second round of the 2014 Stanley Cup playoffs. By the time of his trade to New Jersey in June 2015, Palmieri had established himself as a reliable top-six winger with a scoring touch around the net.
New Jersey Devils Era (2015–2021)
On June 26, 2015, Palmieri was traded to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a second- and third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, reuniting him with coach John Hynes, who had coached him at the NTDP from 2007 to 2009. In his first season with New Jersey, he set new career-highs and led the Devils with 30 goals and 57 points, prompting the team to sign him to a five-year, $23.25 million contract extension on July 7, 2016. He played alongside Taylor Hall and Travis Zajac during his most productive Devils years and helped New Jersey return to the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2018.
Palmieri reached several milestones in a Devils uniform. On October 13, 2017, he tallied the 100th goal of his career in a 5–2 loss to the Washington Capitals, and on October 30, 2019, he recorded his first hat-trick with the Devils in an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. During the 2018–19 season, he became the first player in franchise history to score at least two goals in each of his first two games of a season and the first NHL player to score the opening goal in four consecutive games to open a season. He was named to the NHL All-Star Game in both 2019 and 2020, finishing his Devils tenure as one of the team’s most consistent offensive contributors before being dealt to the Islanders in April 2021.
New York Islanders Era (2021–Present)
In April 2021, Palmieri was traded to the New York Islanders along with Travis Zajac in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick, and forwards A. J. Greer and Mason Jobst. He was reunited on Long Island with former teammate Andy Greene and joined a roster built for playoff hockey. In Game 1 of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored two goals, including the overtime winner, becoming the first Long Island-born player to score a postseason goal for the Islanders and the first Islander to score two goals in his playoff debut. The Islanders’ run that spring ended in the semifinals at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On September 1, 2021, the Islanders signed Palmieri to a four-year, $20 million contract, and on May 30, 2025, the team re-signed him to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension. On March 2, 2024, he recorded his third career hat-trick in a 5–1 win against the Boston Bruins. During a November 28, 2025, game against the Philadelphia Flyers, Palmieri tore his left anterior cruciate ligament, an injury expected to sideline him for six to eight months.
Driving Style and Strengths
Palmieri is best known for his quick release, sharp shot, and nose for the net, traits that have made him a consistent goal-scorer at every level of the game. He thrives as a complementary winger on skilled top lines, whether alongside Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in Anaheim, Taylor Hall in New Jersey, or Mathew Barzal on Long Island. His willingness to play through injuries and his off-pace work ethic have helped him maintain a place in NHL lineups for more than a decade.
Notable Events and Milestones
Palmieri’s career features several signature moments, including his overtime debut goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, his second-youngest hat-trick in Ducks history in 2013, and his overtime winner in his Islanders playoff debut in 2021. He is a two-time NHL All-Star (2019, 2020), a World Junior Championships gold medalist (2010), and the founder of Squad21 and the Kyle Palmieri Foundation, charitable efforts supporting military families that grew from his own family’s service ties.
Kyle Palmieri Career Wins
While hockey does not record career wins for individual skaters the way some other sports do, Palmieri’s ledger is full of team successes and personal milestones. He helped the United States win gold at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and added a bronze medal at the 2011 tournament, and his clubs have qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs multiple times since his rookie season. He also helped the Syracuse Crunch qualify for the 2012 Calder Cup playoffs during his AHL development years.
NHL Highlights
Palmieri’s NHL highlights include his debut goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, his first Devils hat-trick against the same opponent in 2019, and his third career hat-trick against the Boston Bruins in 2024. He scored the overtime winner in his Islanders playoff debut in 2021 and led the Devils in goals during several seasons, including a 30-goal campaign in 2015–16 that earned him a long-term contract extension.
Other Wins and Performances
At the junior level, Palmieri helped the United States win gold at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, becoming the first Notre Dame player to capture a gold medal at the tournament. He also won a bronze medal at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships and at the 2011 World Juniors, capping a distinguished international junior career before transitioning to the professional ranks.
Kyle Palmieri Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Palmieri was raised in a close-knit family in Smithtown, New York, and later Montvale, New Jersey, alongside three older siblings. His father, Bruce Palmieri, worked in home construction, and the family spent time in Mattituck on the North Fork of Long Island, where his wife’s family owns Macari Vineyards. His older sister Taylor and brother-in-law Stephen Ficchi are both members of the United States Army; Taylor serves in the New York Army National Guard, and Stephen is a United States Army Ranger.
Personal Life
Palmieri married his wife, Ashlee, in July 2019 at Macari Vineyards in Mattituck, New York. Inspired by his sister’s and brother-in-law’s military service, he launched Squad21 during the 2016–17 season to bring active and veteran service members to New Jersey Devils home games. That initiative grew into the Kyle Palmieri Foundation in 2018, a charitable organization that supports three military nonprofits, and he has also hosted an annual Military Ball. In 2018, he was the Devils’ nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which honors leadership on and off the ice and humanitarian contributions.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season began with optimism for Palmieri and the New York Islanders, especially after he signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension on May 30, 2025, that signaled the organization’s continued belief in his role. He returned to his familiar spot in the lineup and continued to provide secondary scoring and veteran presence on a team pushing to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs. His production through the early months reflected the steady, two-way game that has defined his career.
Tragedy struck on November 28, 2025, when Palmieri tore his left anterior cruciate ligament during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, an injury that the team announced would sideline him for the next six to eight months. The injury cut short what had been a productive season and forced the Islanders to adjust their forward lines down the stretch. As Palmieri recovers, the Islanders will lean on his expected return in the second half of 2026 to bolster a playoff push, with the veteran winger still viewed as a key piece of the team’s leadership core.
